MURWEH SHIRE COUNCIL. Shaping the Future LONG TERM COMMUNITY PLAN of the communities of. Augathella, Charleville, Morven

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1 MURWEH SHIRE COUNCIL LONG TERM COMMUNITY PLAN Shaping the Future of the communities of Augathella, Charleville, Morven and the Rural Sector 0

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3 REGION OVERVIEW: The local government area of Murweh Shire has a total area of 40,774.5 km2, or 2.4 per cent of the total area of the state. The region has an average daily temperature range of 13.1 o C to 28.0 o C and on average Murweh Shire receives 510 mm of rainfall each year. Demography: As at 30 June 2010, the estimated resident population of Murweh Shire was 4,910 persons, or 0.1 per cent of the state's population. Murweh Shire's population in 2031 is projected to be 4,804 persons. At the time of the 2006 Census, in Murweh Shire, 37.7 per cent of persons were living (usually residing) at a different address five years earlier. At the time of the 2006 Census, there were 5.3 per cent of persons in Murweh Shire who stated they were born overseas. Society: At the time of the 2006 Census, there were 3.9 per cent of persons in need of assistance with a profound or severe disability in Murweh Shire. At the time of the 2006 Census, there were 25.6 per cent of persons aged 15 years and over who were volunteers in the Murweh Shire. As at 30 June 2009 in Murweh Shire, there were 2 aged-care service providers, with a total of 60 places in operation. Economic Performance: At the time of the 2006 Census, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing was the largest industry of employment for Murweh Shire usual residents, with 19.0 per cent of the region's employed labour force. Industry and Development: The total value of agricultural production in the Murweh Shire in was $60.5 million, 0.7 per cent of the total value of agricultural production in Queensland. Queensland Regional Profiles, Murweh (S) 13 October 2011 Page 3 2

4 Figure 1: Map of Murweh Shire: Morven 3

5 Who we are: Charleville is the principal town and Local Government administrative centre in the Murweh Shire and has a population of around Charleville provides regional service delivery functions for health, including the base hospital with visiting specialist services. Education to Year 12 is provided, along with a TAFE College, the School of Distance Education and the development of Croxdale as a centre of learning. Charleville is home to a number of tourist destinations which include the Cosmos Centre, Corones Hotel and other significant historical sites. Also it is the major rural administrative centre for a range of state government services including Queensland Health, Natural Resources and Water, QPWS, QPS and Education. Charleville is one of four Queensland bases for RFDS of Australia. 4

6 Charleville has good access to the arterial road network outside the region particularly between Roma and Longreach. Charleville is also serviced by daily commercial flights from Brisbane. Queensland Rail provides a twice weekly passenger rail service to Charleville on the Westlander with connections to Quilpie and Cunnamulla. Coach services connect travellers to Brisbane, Mount Isa, Rockhampton and interstate. It has road links to other towns in the region of Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Thargominda and Augathella. Charleville is a significant focal point for employment and economic development and provides a mix of businesses and services to the region e.g. the Charleville goat processing plant. Augathella is the second largest town in the Murweh Shire and provides a range of facilities including a primary school, hospital and some Government services located at the Rural Transaction Centre (RTC). Morven is characterised by having a population of less than 300 persons and provides a limited range of services such as convenience store, primary school, primary health care centre, single officer police station, service station and roadhouse, hotel or a combination of these. The current level of services in these towns is sometimes the result of previous higher populations. Some services exist because of a single industry or attraction. Agriculture is the largest industry within the Shire with livestock making the largest contribution to the Shire economy. 5

7 Developing a Vision: Murweh Shire Long Term Community Plan Shaping the Future has been developed utilising the community s aspiration for a better future for its residents. The Plan is simplistic in nature and will remain in force with subsequent amendments until 2022 or until a new plan has been adopted. Information has been collected over a period of time with use of data collected in association with the development of other planning instruments and policies, one on one discussion with individuals, other organisations and agencies and the community at large through extensive public consultation. Written submissions were invited to those not being able to access other avenues of direct consultation. Community Vision: Sustainable use of the environment protecting our land, vegetation, water, flora and fauna for the future. Educated and knowledgeable people encouraging and supporting people to achieve their goals Equitable society - our differences are appreciated, recognized and respected Vibrant, strong and healthy communities Encouraging a healthy, positive community where people are involved and contribute Safe and efficient transport system - making all modes of transport safe, effective and accessible to everyone Buoyant local economy sustainable economic activity to contribute to a prosperous local economy to improve opportunities and living standards for all Shire growth sustainable development to create a place that is attractive to new residents and investors alike Governance open, inclusive and accountable representation 6

8 Environment: Community Outcome Protect and enhance the environment of Murweh Shire and encourage the Shire community to share responsibility for the management of this vital asset and guide and assist the sustainable development and management within the Shire through an ongoing strategic planning process. Strategies and objectives Develop a strategy for the preservation of Murweh Shires unique environment through an ongoing strategic planning process Consult with the Shire community as appropriate when major development is proposed Provide a framework for environmental management incorporating best practice Continue staged development of the residential and commercial subdivision known as Aurora Strongly advocate protection for the Great Artesian Basin and rivers and streams from development activities considered detrimental to their health and impacting on their biodiversity Continue to embrace the concept of Home of the Natural Sciences 7

9 Educated and knowledgeable people Community Outcome Provide and encourage the provision of human services and ensure that opportunities are available which will allow groups and individuals to achieve their fullest potential. Strategies and objectives Ensure accessibility to educational, recreational, social and employment opportunities for all age groups Support South West NRM and Desert Channels in their respective information provision, capacity building and cultural heritage pursuits Ensure access to employment and training for local people and encourage local businesses to take advantage of locally trained employees Ensure that education opportunities and skills development is not diminished in an environment of population drift Develop strategies to slow population drift Promote and lobby for affordable access to child care facilities Promote and lobby for well resourced and staffed education facilities Implement strategies and promotional initiatives to attract and retain teachers and educators. 8

10 Equitable Society: Community Outcome Plan for a balanced, inclusive, functional community environment where recreational, residential, commercial and industrial development can co-exist. Strategies and objectives Identify community needs and develop strategies to provide appropriate human services to meet needs in the following key areas: Job creation activities Aged, disadvantaged and disabled Youth Artistic development Historical and cultural mapping Encourage community involvement and provide opportunities for volunteer servicing. Develop ways and means to enlist volunteer support in providing human services. Foster a sense of community identity. Identify existing barriers to communities of interest and ways to encourage their integration with other communities. Explore current and future employment opportunities. Seek State and Federal Government assistance in developing the employment opportunities in Murweh Shire. Provide opportunities for the involvement of local artists, young people, indigenous people and people from different ethnic backgrounds in the development of public art. Provide support for expanding the capacity of local arts and cultural volunteers. Provide for the inclusion of creative visual landscapes or artscapes in beautification projects, streetscape planning or town planning schemes. 9

11 Develop means which will increase the communities participation in the activities of the Council. Investigate where opportunities exist to increase public involvement. Develop strong communication links between Council and the community through its Community Engagement Policy Ensure meaningful consultation with the community. Assess community opinion and attitudes. Promote effective forms of community participation and cooperation. Develop means of keeping the community informed of all relevant activities and decisions. Strongly represent the community at all levels of Government. Continue links with adjoining Local Government Areas and support organizations such as SWRED, South Western Queensland Local Government Association and other relevant organizations and peak bodies. Represent the community in Community Housing matters by supporting the Neighbourhood Centre and South West Regional Steering Committee. 1 0

12 Vibrant, strong and healthy communities Community Outcome Ensure a healthy and safe environment is maintained to support a variety of lifestyles. Strategies and objectives Establish programs to ensure the community has the opportunity to live a full life in a pleasing and healthy environment by: Increase community awareness of and participation in environmental programs including: Tidy town s projects and clean-up days. School/educational programs. Community tree planting. Water wise concepts. Land Care projects Identify and encourage safety within the community. Investigate the safety of public places and formulate a strategy to maintain and improve safety to appropriate standards Maintain and improve cemeteries to a respectful standard. Develop, implement and where appropriate, enforce Pest Animal and Plant Management Plans and domestically, Local Laws and subordinate Local Laws. Provide sufficient resources to ensure compliance with relevant standards in maintaining appropriate levels of health and hygiene in the community. Maintain recreational facilities at an appropriate level. Facilitate a tree planting and beautification program with community participation where appropriate. Review funding arrangements and look at new opportunities or alternative ways of funding through Government agencies etc. Encourage and support community groups and clubs to take responsibility for the operation and management of community facilities and services. Prepare fee structures covering facilities costs and maintenance yet low enough to encourage maximum usage. Develop Councils parks, reserves and open spaces to maximize the opportunities for all ages and groups to enjoy a range of recreational pursuits. 1 1

13 Encourage community use of Murweh Shire recreational facilities, e.g. library, swimming pool, golf courses, tennis courts, community sports centres and other public facilities. Increase community awareness and accessibility of available public facilities. Promote and lobby for affordable access to specialist medical services for specialist health care not readily available within the Shire Promote and lobby for well-resourced and staffed health care facilities and services Strongly defend the retention of Charleville as a base for the operations of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Implement strategies and promotional initiatives to attract and retain medical practitioners, allied health professionals and medical staff Promote the use of technology to improve access to medical, mental and allied health services Provide comprehensive support to emergency services. Coordinate and maintain the Disaster Management Plan through the Local Disaster Management Group and publicise and promote the Plan to staff and the community. Participate with the Rural Fire Brigade in an integrated approach to fire management and control. Develop Disaster Risk Management Plans. Identify natural hazards affecting the Murweh Shire community. Identify key risks to the community. Implement appropriate risk treatment and intervention strategies. Construct an additional levee bank at Charleville to mitigate flooding within the town 1 2

14 Shire Growth: Community Outcome Assist the sustainable development and management within the Shire through an ongoing strategic planning process in order to secure a sustainable and prosperous future Strategies and objectives Develop a Planning Scheme for the Shire which will: Provide a sound basis for the management of future land use and development within the plan area Encourage appropriate economic development Provide for five kilometer exclusion zone around towns in the event of significant mining development Ensure adequate housing is provided as a result of any future significant mining development Provide for a high level of social and economic well-being for the inhabitants of the Shire Promote investment and development in the housing industry to provide suitable, affordable housing for owners, renters, older and younger persons and to assist in crisis accommodation needs 1 3

15 Safe and efficient transport system: Community Outcome Provide infrastructure to a level sufficient to support the communities lifestyle and maintain and improve existing infrastructure in general. Strategies and objectives Coordinate infrastructure development within a strategic framework, maximizing services provided by Statutory Authorities and the private sector. Ensure that both road and rail infrastructure standards are upgraded to sustain a growing region Prepare strategic programs from which annual needs can be identified for budgeting purposes Develop Councils role as planner and coordinator in developing appropriate local services with community and key government agencies Determine appropriate pricing strategies for staged improvement of existing services such as upgrading roads, water supply, sewerage, community services Identify existing and future transport needs of the Shire community and develop a strategy to prioritize and implement these needs. Such issues would include improvements to: Main arterial roads Local roads Town streets Bikeways Aerodromes and airstrips Pedestrians needs Needs of the aged and disabled Roadside vegetation management Public open space Rest areas 1 4

16 Buoyant local economy: Community Outcome A vibrant and diverse economy which embraces innovation and technological advances to sustain growth and create employment across all sectors Strategies and objectives Monitor the impact and promote tourism within Murweh Shire and neighboring Local Government Areas. Establish what tourist opportunities are in Murweh Shire and surrounds and assist in their development. Continue to participate in the Outback Queensland Tourist Authority (OQTA) as a means of lobbying Tourism Queensland. Promote the Cosmos Centre, Tregole National Park, Augathella Meat Ant and historical buildings and places as a major tourist attractions Continue to develop Charleville Airport as a regional hub Develop and review land use and economic development strategies that focus on creating jobs for local people Encourage employee recruitment initiatives to attract and retain people with appropriate skills Promote existing and growth industries that will have an impact on economic and employment opportunities in the future Promote the importance of information technology and the role it plays in business growth Promote the retention of agencies at all levels such as QGAP, RTC etc as vital to the health of doing business in smaller communities 1 5

17 Governance: Community Outcome Adopt and implement financial strategies to ensure stability for current and future generations and in doing so, ensure the organization maintains a fair, transparent and impartial system of government Strategies and objectives Continue responsible financial management in an environment of diminishing Government financial support. Develop a comprehensive financial reporting system which embraces the principles of the appropriate accounting standards and is consistent with the Local Government Act and Finance Standard Continue regular monitoring including physical assets and identify areas of budget variation on a regular basis Continue to monitor, review and refine the budget process Develop capital works strategies in advance of the annual budget and for future projections Ensure long term debt has long term benefit. Continue Councils strategy outlined in its Borrowing Policy Monitor and review all current purchasing practices. Ensure the principles of Quality Assurance are maintained Continue sound management of Councils financial resources in accordance with relevant legislation and professional ethics and standards. Utilise technological change where it can assist the organization. Continue to upgrade computer facilities and other tools to provide effective and efficient customer service Review the organizational structure on a regular basis. Develop and maintain customer satisfaction through strong commitment to service provision. 1 6

18 Consistently review quality and performance of service delivery Enhance and maintain the working relationship within Council between Councillors and the administration. Develop ways of increasing informality and better communication Maintain, review and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of administration, management and staff. Develop a clear framework of accountability and performance expectations throughout the organization Implement the principles of quality assurance Embrace the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Development and review of the Shires Corporate and Community Plan. Develop an implementation and revision strategy for the Community Plan Develop an implementation and revision strategy for the Corporate Plan Develop an implementation and revision strategy for the 10 year Financial Plan Ensure links and consistency with the Sustainable Planning Act and South West Regional Plan Monitoring Progress The Murweh Shire Community Plan Shaping the Future will be monitored to ensure that objectives and strategies are advanced during the life of the Plan. The Plan will be reviewed from time to time take into account any significant changes in the strategic outlook and amended if necessary. 1 7